337: ‘I became a pariah in corporate America’ | Jennifer Sey
Feb 5, 2025
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Jennifer Sey, a former US national-champion gymnast and ex-Levi’s brand president, shares her dramatic fall from corporate grace after speaking out against Covid school closures. She discusses the 'awokening' of corporate America and how cancel culture impacted her life. Sey also introduces her new venture, XX-XY Athletics, highlighting the contentious fight over women’s sports. The conversation critiques corporate hypocrisy and dives into the cultural implications of gender identity legislation, advocating for fairness and safety in athletics.
Jennifer Sey's experience demonstrates the severe personal and professional consequences of dissenting against corporate norms in a climate of cancel culture.
The controversy surrounding trans women in sports reveals broader societal implications regarding the balance between inclusion and fairness in women's athletics.
Deep dives
The Harsh Reality of Corporate America
Disobedience in corporate America can lead to severe repercussions, as demonstrated by Jennifer Say's experience with Levi's. After expressing her anti-lockdown stance during the COVID-19 pandemic and advocating for the reopening of schools, she faced backlash that included threats to her job security and personal safety. Despite being correct about the detrimental effects of school closures, she struggled to find new employment due to the lingering stigma of her defiance. This illustrates how corporate environments often prioritize conformity over individual thought and dissent may render a professional career untenable.
The Shift in Corporate Values and Woke Capitalism
The rise of woke capitalism has transformed corporate marketing strategies, shifting focus from product quality to alignment with social justice narratives. Say noted that the urgency for companies to adopt 'woke' branding peaked dramatically after the 2020 BLM protests, when many brands quickly adopted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives primarily as a defensive maneuver against potential cancelation. The authenticity of these commitments is questionable, as many companies prioritize profit over genuine belief in these values. This opportunistic behavior ultimately detracts from effective business practices and successful product development.
The Fight for Women's Rights in Sports
The inclusion of trans women in women's sports has sparked significant controversy and debate over fairness and safety. Say argues that allowing biological males to compete in women's categories undermines the very essence of women’s sports, potentially erasing the protections established by laws aimed at promoting women's rights since the 1970s. This contentious issue highlights the broader societal implications of gender identity policies that prioritize inclusion over fairness. Say emphasizes the ongoing struggle for women to retain their rights within a culture that often capitulates to progressive ideologies without considering the tangible impacts on women's athletics.
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Jennifer Sey – former US national-champion gymnast and brand president at Levi’s – was on her way to the top of the corporate ladder when her career was brutally cut short. For speaking out against Covid school closures, she was branded a heretic, smeared as a bigot, and Levi’s demanded her silence. Here, she gives her inside story of the great ‘awokening’ of corporate America, and explains why the cancel culture that forced her out may now finally be in retreat. Plus, she discusses her new venture, XX-XY Athletics, and its battle to keep men out of women’s sports.
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